Monday, April 25, 2011

Chronicles of the Kings

Last summer, after I finished my last section of the CPA exam, I borrowed a whole bunch of Lynn Austin books from my coworker Ashley, who owns almost all of them. Part of that stack she lent to me was the Chronicles of the Kings series.

This is a five book series set in Biblical times that tells the story of King Hezekiah. I read one or two other books after my exam before diving into this series. Honestly I was a bit wary of it. I had read several other Lynn Austin books and absolutely loved the way she effortlessly intertwines characters, pasts, history, fiction, love, romance, drama, and a tasteful Christian tone. I actually asked Ashley if this series was just a remake of Bible stories, and was there really a love story and were they really that good? She assured me they were, so I gave them a chance.

Fast forward to me reading the first book in the series.

Trent: How's your book, babe?Anna: Well, they are throwing small children into a fire as a sacrifice.

Trent: How's your book, sexy pants? Still burning small children?Anna: The Assyrians just turned Judah into a vassal nation and showed King Ahaz a whole bunch of chopped up other kings as a threat.

Trent: How's your book, gorgeous one? Did any more kings get chopped up?Anna: They just killed Hezekiah's mom because she stood up for the Lord.

Trent: How's your book, morning buns? Have you found a love story yet?Anna: No, they just imprisoned Hezekiah's grandfather in the temple for his entire childhood.

Trent: How's your book, dork? Any better?Anna: They just poisoned King Ahaz, and Hezekiah is king. I guess that means he needs a wife. Come ooooon love story.

End Book One of series. Begin Book Two.

Trent: How's book two, Mrs. Pie?Anna: The story switched to an Israelite girl named Jerusha who was just raped and captured by Assyrians.

POINT MADE?

I do not deny that these are very well written, very historically sound, very detailed accounts of this story. But they just had too much action, blood, killing and doing evil in the eyes of the Lord for what I wanted to be reading at the time. I read something else light and cheery in between book one and two and trudged about halfway through book two when I gave up a few months ago. I kept my place, I kept the books on my shelf. I plan to one day finish the series. But for now, for someone who wasn't able to read books for fun for a year and a half, there are plenty other more pleasant books out there that I want to read. Sorry Lynn, sorry Hezekiah. I'll be back later. :-/

P.S. Yes, those are all nicknames that Trent calls me on a regular basis... :-)